Calgary Transit is Canada’s fourth largest transit agency, connecting people and places by providing reliable, safe and courteous public transportation services.
Calgary Transit was struggling to train and sustain the workforce needed to operate and maintain its rapidly growing fleet and city expansion. Based on increased ridership, new vehicles, an aging workforce, and new technology, Calgary Transit needed to provide a relevant training program for the electro-vehicle mechanics responsible for maintaining its fleet of Siemen’s light rail vehicles (LRVs). With more than 8 million passengers per year, it was vital that all mechanics were comfortable with servicing all unique aspects of the entire fleet of LRVs.
Xpan approached Calgary Transit with a conceptual approach we called the Calgary Transit Blended Electro Vehicle Mechanic Systems Training (CTBEST) program. CTBEST is a comprehensive blended learning program covering all LRV systems across the entire fleet of LRVs. Featuring an asynchronous immersive eLearning curriculum integrated with relevant on-the-job curriculum for competency development, the solution is delivered to learners via Xpan’s Learning Management System (LMS) where we track, measure, and record their progress. The eLearning curriculum is divided into system-based modules covering familiarization, maintenance tasks, troubleshooting and repair learning objectives. Each module has interactive knowledge checks to validate comprehension and provide remedial feedback, while each system has a final exam to confirm knowledge transfer. The content is brought to life using a variety of interactive media treatments including 3D simulations and scenario-based learning to validate understanding and evaluate application level competency development. Application level learning objectives are then deemed proficient through the on-the-job training tasks associated with the major vehicle systems.
Xpan’s blended learning solution reduced mean time to productivity for Calgary Transit Electro Vehicle Mechanic (EVM) from 2 years to only 9 months. This resulted in a 63% faster certification of EVMs and demonstrated superior retention to the traditional training methods used previously. The return on investment was CDN $1.9 mill in the first two years. The program has been active for over 15 years and continues to generate millions in operational savings related to training expenses and operational excellence. Xpan continues to evolve, maintain and support CTBEST and is proud of this partnership providing immense value for our home town.
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